Radiator guard



i Patented pr. l0, 1923.

' NORMAN. C. HUCKESTEIN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

RADIATOR GUARD.

Application led September 23, 1920. Serial No. 412,171.

To nfl-Z whom z' may concern.'

Be it known that I. NORMAN C. HUGHE- s'rEIN. citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented 4certain new and useful Improvements inRadiator Guards, of which the following is a specication. f

My invention consists of an nnprovement in radiator guards forautomobile trucks and the like. It has for its object to provide a guardwhich will protectthe radiator from injury by means of a series ofvertically arranged springcontrolled pivoted' blades or lwings adaptedto `be depressed or' closed upon being struck by any object, and

II, II of Fig.- 1.

Fig. 3. is a view of the device in side elevation as mounted on thetruck frame.

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the manner of retaining the wings partlyclosed.

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line V, V of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a View like Fig. 4 but showing the wings entirely closed.

Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line VII, VII 'of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail view showing the manner of pivotally mounting thewings.

In the drawings 2v is the chassis trame oiA a truck ofordinaryconstruction provided with the usual radiator 3 mounted thereon.The radiator guard is composed of a hollow rectangular metal framehaving a base 4 and top 5 and side bar members 6, 6. The base 4 of suchframe is mounted upon a plate 7 and an angle bar 8' and suitably boltedtogether for rigid construction, the angle member being also bolted tothe front of the frame 2, in the manner shown.

Side braces 9 are bolted to the top of the rectangular frame at eachside. -as at 10, and extend backwardly and are similarly bolted to thesides of the chassis frame, as

at 11, for securely maintaining the frame in position.

The top and bottom of the main rectangular frame is provided withinwardly extending sills 12 and 13 respectively, and between the top andbottom members are the series of vanes or wings 14 each having a pivotalterminal l5 at each end. These terminals are seated in suitablereceivingsockets or bearings in the bottom and top sills 12 and 13respectively. with an intervening washer 16 so as to ensure freeswinging action of the several vanes, back against limiting flanges 12"1and 13a.

Each vane is maintained in its opened position by means of a strongspiral spring 17 secured by one end to a rearwardly extendmg arm 18 ofthe vane, and by the other endto the upwardl)v extending flange 19 ofthe plate 7. Arms 18 are so arranged with relation to the Yanes, thatthey will be maint-ained b-y the pull of the spring at an outi wardlydisposed angle at each side of the vertical central portion of theguard, as shown, i. e., divergently towards the right and left.

The advantage of this arrangement is that the vanes at one side or thelother are in a. position to be easily deflected by a glancing blow. or ahead-on cont-act, and will fold inwardly and close the opening to theradiator,

so as to more completely cover and protect f it. Upon release ofvpressure the vane or vanes will re-act by spring tension to theirnormalposition, as in Figs. l and 2.

For the purpose of positively hplding the vanes either partly orentirely closed, provide a cross rod or bar 2O which may be thrustthrough holes 21 or 22 in the side bar members 6 of the main frameacross the front portions of the vanes, and retained by terminal nuts asshown in Figs. 4 5 and 6 7. utilized to control the circulation of airbetween the vanes to the radiator. while also protecting'it from impactor injury arising from collision.

As shown the vanes are arranged in two equal series at each side of themiddle of the frame. and a central 'upright brace or bar 23 may beinserted to strengthen the frame and also close the middle space, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2. The frame itselic may be of any suitableconstruction, as structural steel framed together at the corners, 0r itmay be of a simple steel casting By this means the vanes may be with oneof the steel members 1Q or 13 made separable to facilitate insertion orremoval of the several vanes.

The device as a Whole is very strong and serviceable, simple inconstruction and not liable to get ont of order. It provides anetlicient protecting and air regulating mechanism for the radiator. andmay be adapted-L to various types or designs of construction, orotherwise changed or varied by the skilled mechanic, Without departurefrom the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. A radiator guard consisting of a supporting frame adapted to bespaced in front of a vehicle radiator and a series of verticallyarranged independently mov-able spring controlled pivoted vanes thereinhaving open and closed positions and being arranged to normally remainin open position.

2. A radiator guard consisting of a supporting frame providedat top andbottom Wit-h pivoting bearings and a series of vertically arrangedindependently movable vanes having pivoting `terminals engaging saidbearings, said vanes normally being disposed at an angle to the frameand means for yieldably holding them in such position.

3. A radiator guard consisting of a'supporting frame adapted to bespaced in front of aradiator provided at top and bottom with pivotingbearings and a series of vertically arranged vanes having pivotingterminals engaging said bearings and a rearwardly extending arm, and atension spring connected with said arm and With -a resist-- ingabutment, said vanes normally being held by said springs in openposition in which they are at an angle to the frame.

4. In combination, a rectangular hollow7 supporting frame, means xedlyconnecting it with a truck frame in front of the radiator thereof', aseries of vertically arranged pivoted spring controlled vanes mounted inthe frame, and a cro bar exe tending through the sides of the frame andacross the front portions of the vanes.

In testimony Whereol:I I hereunto ailiX my signature.

NORMAN C. HUCKESTEIN.

